GETTING STARTED GUIDE DESIGNER EDITION STEEL estimator VERSION 1

30, No.2, June 1996 - “Costing of Steelwork from Feasibility Through to Completion.” Engineering Software Solutions STEELestimator Designer Edition Page 3... STEELestimator is a compute

GETTING STARTED GUIDE

DESIGNER EDITION

VERSION 1

Product 1905-GSD-1

www.ess.com.au

TABLE OF CONTENTS

COPYRIGHT NOTICE 3

copy restrictions 3

disclaimer 3

INTRODUCTION 4

RCM 5

WHAT IS IT? 5

WHY IS RCM A BETTER METHOD? 5

WHAT ROLE DOES STEELestimator PLAY? 5

STEELestimator OVERVIEW 7

DESIGNER 7

FABRICATOR 7

FABRICATOR PRO 7

UPDATE & Registration 8

HOW STEELestimator WORKS 9

GETTING HELP 11

STARTING A PROJECT 12

STEP 1 - ENTER COMPANY DETAILS 12

STEP 2 - CREATE A NEW PROJECT 12

STEP 3 - PROJECT INFORMATION 12

STEP 4 - CREATE ZONE 12

STEP 5 - TAKEOFF USING FORMS 12

STEP 6 - VIEWING DATA 13

STEP 7 - REPORTING 13

TERMS 14

IS THE DESIGNER EDITION FOR ME? 15

BACKGROUND IMAGE 16

TRAINING 17

AISC TABLE REFERENCES 18

SIMPLE TUTORIAL 20

ADD CLIENT DETAILS 20

CREATING A NEW PROJECT 21

CREATING ZONE 23

DETAILING OUR PROJECT 24

VIEWING THE ACTIVITIES 26

REPORTING 27

Suggestions For Exploring Further 28

SOFTWARE LICENCE AGREEMENT FOR STEELESTIMATOR 30

COPYRIGHT NOTICE

COPY RESTRICTIONS

The software and the accompanying written materials are the subject of copyright

Unauthorised copying of the software including the software which has been modified, merged or included with other software or the written materials purchased with the

software is expressly forbidden You may be held legally responsible for any copyright infringement which is caused or encouraged by your failure to abide by the terms of this Licence Agreement

For more details on the conditions pertaining to STEELestimator, please refer to the

appropriate licence agreement at the end of this document

DISCLAIMER

The information contained within the data files of this software have been primarily derived from the AISC Journal 1 The “Steel Supply Costs” (Appendix A1 of AISC Journal) has been updated to reflect the current availability and relative costs

This “Designer” Edition of STEELestimator is intended to provide users with a tool to produce a guide to the relative costs for various construction options If absolute values are required then the “Fabricator” or “Fabricator Pro” edition should be used by a suitably qualified estimator to produce the cost estimate

Users of this version should note that:

A) The values provided do not include any GST

B) The values provided are averaged national values and therefore vary from region to

region and from fabricator to fabricator

C) Attention must be given to the particular circumstances and conditions of the project for which the steelwork is being estimated

While every effort has been made to ensure that the accuracy of the information provided

in this software, neither the software developers, its agents and distributors in any way accept the liability for the loss of any kind resulting from the use of such information

1. Journal of the Australian Institute of Steel Construction, Vol 30, No.2, June 1996 - “Costing of Steelwork from Feasibility Through to

Completion.”

Engineering Software Solutions STEELestimator (Designer Edition) Page 3

To remain competitive in the global market, a business must use all the information it can

to gain a competitive edge

STEELestimator is a computer based software package which will assist some segments

of the steel industry to adopt IT systems which can dramatically streamline the costing of steelwork from feasibility through to completion

STEELestimator enables the end user to cost steelwork using a Rational Costing Method (RCM) This method involves the storage, retrieval and manipulation of a vast amount of detailed data at a higher level

By considering all the individual costs associated with the construction of the steel

structure, STEELestimator is able to produce a rational and accurate estimate of the cost

of steelwork

WHAT IS IT?

A Rational Costing Method (RCM) was developed and published by BHP, in conjunction with AISC in 1996 in response to the need to construct more economical steel structures.The publication called “Steel Construction - Costing of Steelwork From Feasibility Through

to Completion” has been supplied by BHP on the STEELestimator CD ROM for your

convenience

The Rational Costing Method addresses the following five key needs:

• Simple to understand;

• Reliable and more accurate;

• Consistent in approach from initial project costing to fabricator’s detailed costing;

• A clear focus on the elements which have a significant effect on the final cost;

and

• Able to determine and account for contract variations

The methodology divides the costs into four main components:

WHY IS RCM A BETTER METHOD?

Traditional methods used to estimate the erection cost of steelwork for a project are

usually calculated on a cost per tonne basis

Though measuring the quantity of steel and multiplying it by a rate is a simple way to estimate, it relies on the skill of the estimator and carries some risk

Steel supply costs are typically only forty percent of the total steelwork, while the

remaining sixty percent is derived from shop detailing, fabricators, surface protection and erection which are more difficult to quantify As a result contingencies have to be added which makes the price of steelwork less competitive

WHAT ROLE DOES STEELestimator PLAY?

Although the philosophy of the RCM is both rational and simple, the amount of data

requiring manipulation is considerable and this factor has greatly inhibited its adoption by the construction industry

Recent developments in IT have allowed large amounts of data to be stored, retrieved and manipulated quite routinely

STEELestimator utilises these developments to implement the philosophy of the RCM, making what was once a rigorous task of producing an accurate cost estimate, a fast and simple one

The Designer version is generally distributed freely throughout the industry to encourage the use of the RCM for improved costings.

Cost of material and other resources are not editable within Designer restricting the end user to use predefined date tables when creating job costing

An extensive range of material and fabrication items are supplied with STEELestimator allowing you to be productive in minutes

FABRICATOR

Fabricator is a fully featured edition of STEELestimator designed for a single user

You can create your own intelligent fabricated items formed from purchased items and actions driven by a resource

Enter in your prices and cost for every area of your business and manage access through

a four level security system

UPDATE & REGISTRATION

Over time the rates and prices incorporated in the Designer edition will become outdated For this reason Engineering Software Solutions will make available through the internet updated data tables

To be advised of updates we recommend you register your software and check our

website regularly

Visit www.ess.com.au for registration and updates.

Alternatively you can print the registration form located in the “Docs” folder on the CD ROM

To minimise the problems with software being used after its use by date the Designer edition has a limited life of twelve months from date of installation

HOW STEELestimator WORKS

STEELestimator can be thought of as a set of simple data entry dialog forms that sorts information into one of two main databases

These databases are called:

Global - Contains your companies standard rates and prices along with a register of

project and client information

In the case of the Designer version it contains the predefined average rates published by BHP and AISC

Project - The project database contains data that is relevant to a project.

This may include a copy of the Global rates for modification at the project level only, along with the project estimate data called the Activity Table

The following illustration provides a systematic view of STEELestimator and how data is exchanged and manipulated

The rectangular box generally indicates a range of dialog boxes in the software to view or enter data from the database (cylindrical shapes).

The oval symbols represent the logical process of combining data and generating

calculations

The last items are the two report sections on the right side of the chart Reports can be produced from the core data such as standard rates while the Activity Reports are created using the estimated takeoff date created in the Activity Table

All areas of the software are accessible from within STEELestimator except for Designer which has limited access to the Global database

This means that you will not be able to add or modify existing industry based rates

GETTING HELP

Throughout STEELestimator you will find a help button located in the bottom right corner

of each dialog box or from the pull down menu

Help is sensitive to your current task and will provide help on that task when launched from

a dialog box

The online help covers every section of STEELestimator and in addition, support and estimating concepts

STARTING A PROJECT

As a user of the STEELestimator Designer version you need to enter some basic

information about the project and the companies involved Hint - Use the online help for assistance

STEP 1 - ENTER COMPANY DETAILS

Select the company option under the Global menu option

Add all companies and contact information that you will be involved with during the project.Once you have entered them, they will be available on subsequent projects

STEP 2 - CREATE A NEW PROJECT

From the file menu select “New Project” and enter a unique project code to create a new project database

STEP 3 - PROJECT INFORMATION

Once the project database has been created you will be prompted to provide a title and client to the project

Investigate the tab option and complete as required

You can always return to the dialog form by going to the file menu option and selecting

“Modify Project”

STEP 4 - CREATE ZONE

Zone allows you to break the project into manageable sections of work for reporting and cost breakdowns

In addition, zone contains default information that is saved with each fabricated item into the Activity Table

To add a zone select “Zones” from the project menu

STEP 5 - TAKEOFF USING FORMS

STEELestimator contains a number of special data templates called Activity Forms

Essentially each form provides a simple and quick method of describing each aspect of a project for fabrication

The detailed content of the forms are then saved to the Activity Table providing a

comprehensive costing of all work and supplied items

Note: The data provided with STEELestimator is based on the AISC publication called

“Costing of Steelwork From Feasibility Through to Completion” and as such is basic in its detail.

The Fabricator edition allows for various detail and multi level bills of work and materials

to be entered.

The current form includes:

• Members for the detailing of beams and columns

• Fabrication of other components or detailing of resource

• Cladding/decking for sheeting work

Each form allows for an identification code and description such as a drawing number.Use the online help for assistance

STEP 6 - VIEWING DATA

After entering data in any of the forms you can view the detailed data through the Activity Form

The form provided allows you to view takeoff data associated with the project

A filter section is provided to quickly locate search data for viewing or modification Information can be added, deleted or modified as required through the use of the edit button

Data can be displayed in various formats for easier viewing

To gain a sound understanding of STEELestimator it is important that you begin to

understand how data is used and the meaning of the terms

For this reason we recommend that you enter the online help and read the various parts associated with “Using STEELestimator”

IS THE DESIGNER EDITION FOR ME?

The Designer edition of STEELestimator has some very limiting features with the most obvious being the capability to modify, add or delete stock items, resource and action

If you are from an organisation that needs to price steelwork up using your own standard processes then you need the Fabricator edition

You can place an order by simply contacting Engineering Software Solutions at:

1-5 Hawke Street, Albert Park, South Australia, 5014

Phone 08 8241 0575, Fax 08 8241 0070

orEmail ess@ess.com.auHowever, if you only need to perform accurate estimates using average industry rates the Designer version will generally meet your needs

BACKGROUND IMAGE

You can change the background image of STEELestimator to suit your personal

preference

Simply create a BITMAP file called “logo.bmp” and copy it to the STEELestimator

directory Next time you start STEELestimator the background will have changed

The image will scale to fit the window size

For many organisations, they need to be up and running with new technology quickly to gain a competitive edge

Engineering Software Solutions provides regular training throughout Australia

Simply call Engineering Software Solutions on 08 8241 0575 or visit our web site

www.ess.com.au to obtain the latest training schedule.

The courses run over a full day and covers all aspects of the software (Fabricator edition)

We also cater for special or group training needs on site or one of our training centres near you

AISC TABLE REFERENCES

The Stock and Action code supplied in STEELestimator are based on the AISC Journal called “Costing of Steelwork From Feasibility Through to Completion”

To assist you in locating the same stock and action codes, we have provided the following cross reference table for you convenience

The Fabricator edition of STEELestimator allows the user to define their own coding

structure that best fits their needs

A1.2 Universal Columns & Welded Columns UC

A1.2 Universal Columns & Welded Columns WC

A1.3 Taper Flange & Parallel Flange Channels PFC

A1.21 Metric Commercial Bolt, Nut & Washer Assy M12X30G4.6ASSY

A1.22 High Strength Structural Bolt, Nut & Washer M16X50G8.8ASSY

AISC Table Table Name STEELestimator Code

A2.1.3 Notch End of Beam & Cope Costs NEUS60

A2.1.3 Notch End of Beam & Cope Costs NES60

A2.1.3 Notch End of Beam & Cope Costs COPE60

A2.1.4 Hollow Sections End-Connections Costs HSEF; HSEW; HSES;

HSEC; HSEG

A2.2.1 Truss Web Member Fabrication Costs TWMA30

A2.2.1 Truss Web Member Fabrication Costs TWMRHS30

A2.2.1 Truss Web Member Fabrication Costs TWMSHS30

A2.2.1 Truss Web Member Fabrication Costs TWMCHSG30

A2.2.1 Truss Web Member Fabrication Costs TWMCHSP30

A2.2.1 Truss Web Member Fabrication Costs TWMI30

CSSEA2.2.3 Penetrations Fabrication Costs PFUC; PFUR; PFRRS;

PFRRD PFRRQA2.2.4 Three Plate Girder Fabrication Costs TPG

A2.2.7 Purlin Cleat & Fly Bracing Cleat Costs PC; FBC

A2.3.2 Incomplete Penetration Butt Welds IPBW (V OR VV)

A2.3.3 Complete Penetration Butt Welds CPBW (V OR VV)

CUTPAR;

CUTDBLMITREA2.3.7 Stripping, Cropping, Cut to Shape & Bevel

A2.3.9 Drilling & Punching Slotted Holes PUNCHSLOT;

DRILLSLOT